Koudougou: The Minister of Secondary Education, Vocational and Technical Training, Professor Moumouni Zoungrana, presided over the monthly solemn raising of the colors at the Koudougou Provincial High School (LPK) on Monday, calling for unity and hard work, as observed by AIB.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the event was attended by administrative, military, and educational authorities from the Nando region, including the regional governor. The ceremony featured significant messages directed towards teachers and students. The principal of LPK, Athanase Yameogo, welcomed the minister and his delegation, emphasizing the importance attributed to education by the country's highest authorities as the foundation for a new Burkina Faso.
The headmaster highlighted that the high school, which succeeded the teacher training college opened in 1945, now educates 2,406 students, including 1,346 girls. The students are supported by 115 teachers and 30 administrative and support staff. Since the 2018-2019 academic year, the school has expanded its offerings to include electrotechnical and electronics programs. However, the headmaster noted that the 80-year-old infrastructure has never undergone major renovations. Despite challenging conditions, the school has consistently achieved satisfactory results in academic exams. He also requested the minister's assistance in renovating the establishment and constructing a two-story building to increase capacity.
In his address, Minister Zoungrana paid tribute to the defense and security forces and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), commending their dedication to preserving Burkina Faso's territorial integrity. He appreciated the regional authorities' efforts in promoting stability and local development. The minister, standing by the national flag, reaffirmed that education is central to the governance of President Ibrahim Traore.
Minister Zoungrana, addressing the teachers, emphasized his own background in education, viewing his ministerial role as an honor for the entire teaching profession. He called for unity, sincerity, and dialogue to tackle challenges related to career advancement, equipment, and reforms. He assured that no reform would proceed without grassroots involvement and urged prioritizing collective over self-interest.
For the students, the minister advocated discipline, hard work, and respect for authority, urging them to overcome fear and discouragement and to build self-confidence. Drawing inspiration from revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara, he encouraged students to uphold Burkina Faso's history with dignity and commitment to work. "The price of respect is work, more work, and still more work," he asserted, urging them to become exemplary citizens dedicated to national development.
The ceremony concluded with a sense of patriotic fervor, filled with slogans and applause, indicating the participants' support for the messages conveyed.